Patient Navigator
Job Location:
Oakland, CA - USA
Monthly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
Involves providing non-clinical support guidance and assistance for patients and families as they navigate through complex healthcare environments. Primary goals are to increase patient satisfaction and to optimize care and outcomes. Acts as a communication liaison to understand the patients non-clinical individual needs expectations and concerns. Guides the patient and family to a broad range of services amenities and information to promote healing and ensure satisfaction with the patient care experience.
DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION:
The Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) is UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospitals pediatric behavioral health crisis service providing rapid assessment crisis intervention risk evaluation and disposition planning for children and adolescents experiencing behavioral health emergencies in the Emergency Department and on inpatient units. BERT partners closely with Emergency Medicine inpatient medical teams nursing security and Psychiatry to determine the appropriate level of care including inpatient psychiatric hospitalization when clinically indicated. BERT operates as part of the broader Behavioral Health Crisis Services program alongside the Crisis Response Bridge Clinic Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison and Code CARE together providing a continuum of crisis assessment stabilization and follow-up care. Services are trauma-informed culturally responsive and grounded in principles of equity and recovery.
Responsibilities
% of time | Essential Function (Yes/No) | Key Responsibilities (To be completed by Supervisor) |
30 | Yes | Inpatient Psychiatric Placement & Bed-Finding--Serve as the primary point of contact for locating an appropriate inpatient psychiatric bed for patients requiring transfer; contact receiving hospitals to determine real-time bed availability and confirm admission criteria (age gender/unit level of care insurance/payor); maintain current knowledge of receiving facilities requirements and capacity. |
20 | Yes | Transfer Packet Preparation & Documentation assemble and complete psychiatric transfer packets ensuring all required labs history and physical medication lists and clinical documentation are included; verify packet completeness before it is faxed emailed or sent via the electronic medical record; follow up with receiving facilities to confirm the packet was received and is sufficient. |
15 | Yes | Transfer Logistics & Care Team Coordination--facilitate the transfer process once a bed is confirmed including nurse-to-nurse communication between sending and receiving facilities; ensure bedside and unit staff know when and where the patient is being transferred; coordinate transportation timing with clinical and operational staff. |
10 | Yes | Handoff & Collaboration with BERT Clinicians receive handoffs from BERT clinicians when a patient needs placement and hand cases back as clinical questions arise; function as an integrated member of the BERT team; participate in team communication to ensure a coordinated patient-centered placement process. |
20 | Yes | Hospital-Wide Behavioral Health Resource Navigation & Provider Support serve as a resource for behavioral health patients and the clinicians treating them across the hospital (BERT Psychiatry Consultation-Liaison Code CARE medical and surgical units) identifying and connecting patients to longer-term outpatient therapy psychiatry/medication management intensive outpatient (IOP) and partial hospitalization (PHP) programs residential and inpatient long-term treatment programs and other community-based behavioral health services appropriate to the patients needs; support hospital-based behavioral health clinicians in identifying appropriate next-level-of-care options and resources for their patients; build and maintain relationships with community clinics and outpatient/residential providers to facilitate warm handoffs and streamline the referral process; make and track referrals to these programs; collaborate closely with the Crisis Response Bridge Clinic (CRBC) including referring appropriate patients to CRBC and supporting ongoing communication and coordination between BERT and CRBC. |
5 | Yes | Documentation Data & Program Support document placement search and transfer activities in the EHR and internal tracking tools per program standards; support data collection on bed-search and boarding-time metrics for quality improvement and reporting; provide feedback on system gaps and workflow improvements; participate in training and program evaluation activities. |
100% | (To update total % enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g. 15 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g. 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.) |
Qualifications
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience
- Strong interpersonal and customer service skills. Ability to communicate and resolve issues effectively with a diverse population of patients staff and physicians.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to develop solutions and recommend changes and follow through with implementation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency with Windows-based software including Microsoft word Excel Outlook. Knowledge of computer systems and software used in functional area.
- Ability to work calmly and effectively under time pressure in a fast-paced high-acuity pediatric behavioral health environment.
- Comfort and persistence with high-volume telephone and fax-based coordination with external hospitals and receiving facilities
- Ability to accurately review clinical documentation (labs H&P medication lists) for completeness prior to transmission to a receiving facility
- Understanding of HIPAA and patient privacy requirements as they relate to transmitting clinical information between facilities.
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary crisis team including BERT clinicians nursing and medical teams; skill in building and maintaining working relationships with external community providers and programs.
PREFERRED:
- Bachelors degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
- Bi-lingual
- Knowledge of the pediatric behavioral health continuum of care including inpatient psychiatric admission criteria IOP/PHP residential treatment and outpatient therapy and psychiatry resources along with the regional landscape of receiving facilities and community providers. Knowledge of medical terminology sufficient to review labs and clinical documentation.
- Prior experience with inpatient psychiatric placement bed-finding or hospital-to-hospital transfer coordination.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:
- Bi-lingual
About Company
About UCSF The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only camp ... View more
